[nagdu] NFB and Airlines

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Well...  I do see where you're coming from.  However, it is astonishing how
much attitudes change when the consequences of the actions based on the bad
attitudes are real and immediate and have direct connection to the bad
behavior...  Operant conditing 101, really.  Only with humans, you have to
sometimes apply harsh and punitive negative reinforcement just to get their
attention.

In other words, so long as we let the airlines and any other entity guilty
of gross mistreatment of the disabled or any other minority -- and thus
perceived as powerless group -- get away with it, they will continue with
their bad behavior because they will not only get away with it but be
rewarded by it.

What can we as individuals do?  Not a g*d* freakin' thing.  Because we as
individuals can almost (but not quite) afford the attorney fees.  Or the
time.  Or the energy.  Or the real financial burden from both of those.

So...  I'm with Cathryn.  So long as we and the NFB let these people -- and
others -- get away with their bad behavior, they will continue to pratice
it.

If I had a practical solution, I would offer it.  More money and more
personal advocacy and attorneys ready to leap to deal with individual
incidents would be great...  It's coming up with that kind of money and that
kind of manpower that stumps me.  I do what I can, and that currently ain't
much.  Maybe someday, for me, but for now I just have to deal with what I
can (me, then the Oregon Commission for Blind) and spout off opinions.
/smile/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Cindy Ray
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 5:16 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] NFB and Airlines

Cathryn, I think it is pretty unfair to say that the airlines will do
whatever the NFB and others will let them get away with. As Peter has
stated, this sort of thing has been going on for at least 30 years. People
have been arrested for standing up for their rights on planes. Others have
managed to garner bad will of other passengers. NFB has had cases; we once
demonstrated at the FAA during a convention. Just this week a suit has been
filed against United concerning the inaccessibility of the kiosks (sp), and
there are plenty of instances where members have been able to get airlines
to admit to the fact there are really no rules. I think this is something
that will continue as long as the attitudes exist that are. You can pass
laws but attitudes take time, and more time than we mostly have patience
with, but I think it some unfair to say what you have said here unless I am
truly missing something. 

CL


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